


Riches and Wonders

by landofhorses



Category: The Terror (TV 2018)
Genre: Angst, Bullying, Gen, a cruel prank is played, this made me very sad I'm sorry
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-30
Updated: 2020-08-30
Packaged: 2021-03-06 23:29:35
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,476
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26197165
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/landofhorses/pseuds/landofhorses
Summary: His aunts had been weary of letting him play with other children, fearing for his safety, but if this had kept him from people like Jack, surely it had been all for naught? For the first time in his life he didn’t feel alone, and George couldn’t be happier.
Comments: 6
Kudos: 7





	Riches and Wonders

**Author's Note:**

> Did you know that real life Hodgson attended Eton? This is a response to that.  
> See the end notes for more detailed warnings.

“Come on now Georgie we don’t have all night!” Jack called over his shoulder, he was only a couple of feet in front of George.

They had been stopping every couple of minutes, the new sights and sounds of the forest at night were almost too much for George to handle. He felt the urge to identify every noise he heard, and so he did, ceaselessly. Babbling on about the kinds of owls that were present in the area, something he had researched a week before this outing. It always pays to prepared; George had thought. He went on long tangents about the trees they passed, he was barely able to identify them, dark as it was. The difficulty in telling what they were only added to the excitement as far as George was concerned. The problem with doing all this, however, was the fact that even though he was quite adept at talking, he had never been quite as good at walking while doing it. He couldn’t count the times he had been so distracted whilst excitedly recounting a fact that he had just learned, that he walked straight into a brick wall or door, and so he figured it was best for both him and his poor nose if he kept as still as possible whilst he talked. This led to him and Jack stopping often, George loved to talk, but Jack had never seemed to mind before. Generally speaking, Jack was very indulgent with George, allowing frequent stops between classes often making them late, and giving him small smiles and questions in response to the things that George had to say. Tonight, was different however, he was fidgety, nearly vibrating with nervous energy, and cutting George off when he tried to talk. George was worried, he wanted to ask Jack what was wrong, but he hadn’t a clue how to phrase it. Emotions had never really been his strong suit, as much as he understood about everything else, the inner workings of others had never come as easily.

George quite liked Jack, he was far kinder to him than anybody had ever been before. He had such lovely hands, long delicate fingers that would be perfect for playing the piano, which is what George had told him on the day that they had met. He had almost immediately recognized this as something that was perhaps inappropriate to say and braced himself for the ridicule, he was sure was coming, but Jack merely laughed and gave him a pat on the shoulder. They had been friends ever since, something which George could barely believe. So, when Jack had asked George to sneak out into the woods with him after dark during their arithmetic class that day, he had rushed to accept. Jack had claimed that he had a surprise waiting for him.

His aunts had been weary of letting him play with other children, fearing for his safety, but if this had kept him from people like Jack, surely it had been all for naught? For the first time in his life he didn’t feel alone, and George couldn’t be happier

When they reached the clearing Jack ordered George to sit on an old mossy tree stump that was found in the middle, he didn’t want to stain his trousers but when he brought up his concern to Jack he was shushed. Figuring it was best not to argue with him while he was in this state, George did what he was told, cringing at the wetness he could feel underneath him. Jack kept darting glances towards the trees that were surrounding them, almost as if he was looking for something, George was starting to get nervous. Jack was the first one to break the silence,

“Now, Georgie I need you to close your eyes for me and count to ten, can you do that?”

“Are you sure that’s a good idea? I mean it’s already dark outside and I-“ tried George, but he was interrupted quickly by Jack.

“Don’t you trust me Georgie? Would I let anything happen to you?” Jack shot George his best smile, the one that got him out of trouble with teachers, and the one that worked all too well on George, which Jack knew. This accompanied with a slight comforting squeeze of his leg, had George nodding along, shutting his eyes tightly and covering his face with his hands for good measure.

“I’m going to need you to count out loud for me, okay? Once you reach ten you can open your eyes and I’ll have your surprise for you.”

George nodded and began to count, “One.” The sounds of footsteps moving away from him could be heard, Jack was probably going to get what it was that he had left out here.

“Two.” He could hear the bushes and underbrush moving, far more than should be caused by one person George thought, but Jack so did love to be loud.

“Three.”

“Four.”

“Five.” Once he reached five he could make out the sound of somebody coming out of the woods, but instead of moving to his front which is the direction that Jack left him, they were seemingly approaching from behind.

“Jack…?” He called, George could feel the dread in the pit of his stomach.

“I’m right here! Don’t worry I’m nearly done, keep counting!” Came the answer somewhere to his left, perhaps George had only imagined the footsteps then. His nervous excitement must be playing tricks on him.

“Six.”

“Seven.”

“Eight.”

“Nine.” He felt a hand on his shoulder, he flinched almost immediately. George didn’t like it when people touched him usually, especially without asking him, this is something that Jack knew. He was terrified.

“Jack…” He whispered, not trusting himself to be louder, he was frozen in fear. No response came.

“Ten.” He finished in a rush, immediately snapping his eyes wide open and removing his hands, he turned around to face the most horrible creature he had ever seen. It looked like it had some sort of skull for a head, perhaps a deer? That would explain the antlers, but George found himself quite unable to think. The rest of it’s body was a black formless mass, he fell on his bottom in his mad scramble to get away from the creature, it hurt and his trousers are most certainly ruined now if they hadn’t been before, but George was not in a position to care.  
  


“Where is Jack?” He asked fearfully, scared this creature had done something to him, “What have you done to my friend!” Shouted George who had lost the ability to control his voice. The being didn’t respond instead choosing to come closer, whatever little energy he had to put up a fight had left him, he sat still on the cold muddy ground. Once the monster had gotten close enough, it reached out with one of its horrible hands to touch George’s face, he started screaming almost immediately.

That was when the laughing started, coming from both the creature but also from the woods surrounding them. Dozens of voices could be heard, George’s fear while still present had begun to bleed into confusion, as he looked around wildly trying to spot the figures he knew to be hiding in the woods. Suddenly the creature reached for it’s own face, pulling it off to reveal a person underneath.

“Jack?” Whispered George, he was hurt, why would kind, sweet Jack do this to him?

“Yes it’s me you great, bloody, idiot.” Replied Jack cruelly, this remark was met with raucous laughter from all directions. George could now make out the faces of his peers within the trees, he could feel tears well up in his eyes, had this always been some kind of joke?

“I thought we were friends!” Cried George, with far more emotion than was intended, his outburst was again met with laughter and cheering from all directions.

“Who’d want to be friends with _you?_ Your ceaseless chatter is enough to drive anyone mad, _look at this Jack, have you heard about this Jack_. All of it pointless, annoying, nonsense.” George was unable to stop himself from bursting into tears any longer, trying to hide it the best he could, fearing that he’d make things worse for himself.

“Are you crying Georgie? What are you? A child? A _girl_?” Sneered Jack, their audience in the woods was slowly making their exit, surrounding George with their pointing, laughing, and cheering. George shakily rose to his feet, tears still streaming down his face, frantically looking for an exit, a way out and back to Eton. Once a gap was spotted he made a run for it, nobody stopped him, the only thing following him on the trek back was the sounds of his peer’s laughter echoing through the near silent woods. 

**Author's Note:**

> A individual who George believes to be his friend plays a cruel prank on him, they scare him, and this person and a group of their friends laugh and make fun of him for his fear. At one point, in a mocking fashion, this individual calls Hodgson a girl.
> 
> If there is anything else you believe that I need to warn for let me know please.  
> Thank you for reading, you can follow me at @georgehodgsonfucks


End file.
